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Friday, March 07, 2008

A Snowy Night

The snow was falling in huge wet chunks by the time I left work. I drove carefully home, resisting the urge to illegally pass the car driving 20 miles below the speed limit. I passed the entrance to my neighborhood and pulled into the funeral home. Half an hour before the calling hours were over and the parking lot was nearly full.

I walked past groups of strangers talking in hushed tones, signed the guest book, and stood in line to greet the family. I hugged The Best Temp Ever and met her beautiful, polite daughter. Then I moved down the line to her younger sister, married to a short, round man who in no way resembles the guy I graduated high school with.

I paused briefly near the open casket to look at the man I'd never met. He was six years younger than my own much-loved father. Feeling shaken, I stepped back into the snowy night.

3 comments:

Mary Stebbins Taitt said...

WAHN!

We went to funeral also hits last weekend and I stood and looked at a woman I'd never met and talked to the husband who dearly loves my husband--dear friends.

Funerals are so sad.

Coffeypot said...

Nothing better to wake up your feelings that death. But it was good of you to stop by.

Mary Stebbins Taitt said...

I do think it is important to be there for people!